Box-fastener.



No. 896,653. PATBNTED AUG. 18, 1908. Y

' C. F. E. MEIER. BOX FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1908.

Fly. 1.

CHARLES F. E. MEIER, OF NEW MELLE, MISSOURI.

BoX-FAsTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application led March 27, 1908. Serial No. 423,789.

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. E. METER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New Melle, St. Charles county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Box-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a box fastener, particularly intended for use in securing the lids or covers of boxes utilized as egg cases, shipping crates, and the like, and the object of my invention is to construct a simple, inexpensive fastening device which is so located as that it is thoroughlyT protected while in use, and said fastening device being quickly connected or detached, and which forms a very efficient lock or latch when in use.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of an egg c ase provided with a latch of my improved construction Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the end of a box or case showing my improved fastener positioned thereon; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bearing plate through which the spring actuated latch pin operates.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 1 designates the end wall of the box or case, and fixed thereto adjacent the top is a transversely disposed cleat 2, in the outer face of the center of which is formed a vertically disposed groove 3.`

4 designates the cover of the box or case, and fixed to the under side of the end thereof is a cleat 5, which, when the cover is positioned on the body of the box or case, rests upon the cleat 2.

Held for rotation in the center of the cleat 5 is the upper portion of the vertical arm of slight bend laterally at its center, as designated by 6a, in order that the outer end of said horizontal arm will lie immediately against the end wall of the box or case when in a locked position.

Formed in the under side of the cleat 2 adjacent the notch 3 is a vertically disposed recess 7, and closing the lower end thereof is a plate 8, in the center of which is formed an aperture 9, and formed integral with the corners of said plate are prongs 10, which are driven into the body of the cleat 2 and serve to hold the plate S in position.

'11 designates a latch pin, the upper por tion of which occupies the recess 7, and the lower portion of which pin projects a short distance below the plate 8. Formed on this pin, just above the plate 8, is a collar 12, and located on the pin and interposed between said collar and the bottom of the recess 7 is an expansive coil spring 13, which normally forces the pin 11 downward until the collar 12 rests on top of the plate 8.

Formed through the lower end of this-pin 11 is an aperture 11a, which is adapted to receive a sealing wire.

When the cover is positioned on the body of the box or case, the horizontal portion of the hook 6 occupies a position beneath the cleat 2 and behind the projecting portion of the pin 11, and thus the cover is securely fastened to the body of the box or case, and all parts of the latch are thoroughly protected and therefore will not readily become broken as a result of contact with objects during the handling incident to transportation.

To release the latch and remove the cover from the box or case, the projecting portion of the pin 11 is forced upward through the plate 8 until the horizontal arm of the hook 6 can be swung downward, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, and the cover can now be lifted from the box or case.

A fastener of my improved construction -comprises a minimum number of parts, is

very simple in operation, and is particularly adapted for use on egg cases and all forms of shipping crates and boxes.

I claim:

1. A. box fastener comprising an L-shaped hook ournaled on a portion of the box cover and adapted to engage beneath a portion of the box, and a verticallydisposed spring ac -tuated pin arranged in a portion of the box arranged in the cleat on the box and norand adapted to engage in front of a portion mally engaging infront ofthe horizontal porof the L-shaped hook. tion of the L-shaped hook.

2. The combination With a box and its In testimony whereof, I have signed my U cover, on which box and cover are arranged name to this specification, in presence of two 15 cleats, of an L-shaped hook, the vertical porsnbsoriblng Witnesses.

tion 0f which is adapted to engage beneath CHARLES F. E. MEIER. the cleat on the box and the horizontal arm Witnesses: of said hook being bent laterally at its center, E. H. RICKMERS,

1o and a vertically disposed spring actuated pin ED. S. WALKER. 

